#WeWantToKnow: Lauren McPhillips of This Renegade Love

64247-lauren-mcphillips-this-renegade-love-blog-at-the-beach.png

Lauren McPhillips is the editor of This Renegade Love, a lifestyle blog that she created in order to profile ordinary people doing extraordinary things, and where she also shares her blogging and branding tips, travel adventures, and other lifestyle pursuits. Lauren's content resonates strongly with me, and I'm sure it has a lot to do with the authenticity of her voice - she writes with intention and only when she has something meaningful and worthwhile to say. She is an advocate for being authentic, and though that seems to be a buzz word lately, Lauren not only conveys what it means to be authentic, but she honestly lives by her own example, and this is what keeps me hooked on her blog, eagerly anticipating her next post. I'm also a fan of her Renegade series, the aforementioned profiles on ordinary people doing extraordinary things - I feel a connection with Lauren in her desire to share other people's stories, just like I'm doing with this We Want To Know series. She believes in positivity and in uplifting people - another reason why I am so thrilled to profile Lauren, a renegade in her own right, and someone I think you'll want to know. 

9e739-lauren-mcphillips-this-renegade-love-sitting-on-couch.jpg

I'm always curious to know the origin behind a name, and the story behind This Renegade Love is pretty cool because it was inspired by a song. After brainstorming several possible blog names, the perfect name came to Lauren as she was listening to the song In the Summertime by The Rural Alberta Advantage, when she was struck by the lyric: "And when we're middle aged, you tell me I loved you like a renegade." Lauren suddenly had the perfect word to describe the people she would be profiling, and This Renegade Love was named. 

Lauren's blog has become a trusted resource for tips and advice on blogging and branding, and it's no wonder readers turn to her for advice, as she has accumulated nearly a decade's worth of experience to share. She started her career as a senior print editor for Style At Home magazine before taking on the role as web editor and running the magazine's newly formed blog. This is what gave Lauren a taste for blogging - she loved the immediate connection she could make with people online, contrary to the slow and delayed feedback that came through the print channel. After her time spent at Style At Home, Lauren took a career turn and ventured into PR, working for Contiki as their Brand Partnerships Manager, where she experienced working with bloggers, and developed a sense for what worked and what didn't work in the fledging blogging industry, and she wanted to get into content creation herself. Most importantly, though, she wanted to bring storytelling back to blogging, an element of the craft that she felt was getting lost. 

0172c-lauren-mcphillips-this-renegade-love-branding-blogging-business-tips-laptop.jpg

Lauren has lately been getting into producing more video content - she found success through her Instagram Live sessions where she shared her insights on branding and blogging (which can now be viewed on her new YouTube channel), and found that her favourite part of doing this was the community it brought together who she could immediately connect with, and the forum it created to foster discussion. Lauren deeply cares for connecting with others, as well as connecting women with each other, which is why she started a project called #52WOMEN, where she aims to get back to the roots of personal connection and will have a conversation over coffee once a week with an inspiring woman from an industry or lifestyle she knows nothing about (was your grandmother an activist in the 60s? If so, Lauren wants to meet her!). Lauren brings her readers into the experience by sharing her takeaways from these encounters on her blog each month. 

e075b-52-women-project-vol1-lauren-mcphillips-this-renegrade-love.jpg

Lauren's championship of authenticity, combined with the overwhelmingly positive response to her blogging and branding insight-sharing has prompted her to expand her business offline and offer workshops that will help other 'renegades' create their own brand identities. Lauren believes in building a life for yourself, on your own terms, without putting money in someone else's pocket. Lauren is passionate about helping others succeed. This renegade has a bright future, she inspires me daily, and I'm so thankful to have had the pleasure of introducing you to her! 

4cb61-lauren-mcphillips-celebrates-two-years-of-this-renegade-love-blog.jpg

Want more? Let's hear from Lauren directly - here's what We Want To Know

I can't start my morning without...showering. I just don't feel ready and prepared for the day until I've washed the sleepiness off of me!

I have a weakness for...wine! It's impossible for me to sit on a patio or terrace or dock in the summer and not crave a cold glass of Sauvignon Blanc. I also think it's my downfall when it comes to trying to lose a few pounds haha.

Most people don't know that I...am a total home-body. I travel a lot and it's fun to discover new places, but I love, love, love to be at home on the couch with Damien or enjoying me-time.

Currently reading... Chasing Slow by Erin Loechner. She's an excellent writer and her story of adopting a slower lifestyle is inspiring.

I want...to constantly be surrounded by positive people who have a great sense of humour. I also want a glass of wine (told you it's my weakness!).

b7127-lauren-mcphllips-this-renegade-love-drinking-wine-youtube-channel.jpg

Thank you, Lauren, for participating in #WeWantToKnow!